The 6th Sunday after Pentecost: Modified Holy Communion Service Sunday, July 12, 2020 at 10:00 am

Prelude: “Beautiful City” sung by Christian Bearse Opening Hymn

Welcome and Opening Sentence

Celebrant Alleluia. Christ is risen! People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Collect for Purity (All say together)

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect of the Day

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The First Lesson Isaiah 55:10-13

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 65:1-14 (responsively by whole verse)

1 You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; * to you shall vows be performed in

Jerusalem. 2 To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, * because of their transgressions. 3 Our sins are stronger than we are, * but you will blot them out. 4 Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there! * they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house, by the holiness of your

temple. 5 Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, * O Hope of all the ends of the earth and of the seas that are far away. 6 You make fast the mountains by your power; * they are girded about with

might.

7 You still the roaring of the seas, * the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the

peoples. 8 Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; * you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; * the river

of God is full of water. 10 You prepare the grain, * for so you provide for the earth. 11 You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; * with heavy rain you soften

the ground and bless its increase. 12 You crown the year with your goodness, * and your paths overflow with plenty. 13 May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, * and the hills be clothed with

joy. 14 May the meadows cover themselves with flocks, and the valleys cloak

themselves with grain; * let them shout for joy and sing. The Second Lesson Romans 8:1-11

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn (All join in the Refrain)

The Gospel Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. People: Glory to you, Lord Christ. Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon The Rev. Dr. Libby Gibson An affirmation of Faith (all say together)

You, O God, are supreme and holy. You create our world and give us life. Your purpose overarches everything we do. You have always been with us. You are God.

You, O God, are infinitely generous, good beyond all measure. You came to us before we came to you. You have revealed and proved your love for us in Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose again. You are with us now. You are God. You, O God, are Holy Spirit. You empower us to be your gospel in the world. You reconcile and heal; you overcome death. You are our God. We worship you.

Prayers of the People Bidding: Your Word is a lamp unto my feet. Response: And a light upon my path.

Please join us in praying for: Brittany Anthony, Richard Allen, Claire Anderson, Robert Anderson, Kathryn Anschutz, Philip Armstrong, Jordon Ashwood, Dottie Averna, John Damon, Tino DiGiovanni, Bill Babcock, Don Barton, Eric Blackburn, Jill Blum, Michelle Bond, Ken Bradbury, Meg Broadhurst, Marcia Brown, Jonie Buckley, Byrd Cassibry, Ellen Chechile, Joanna Chechile, Madge Clark, Nancy Connor, Eddie Crowley, Alexis Daniuk and Tony Botticello, Caroline Eaddy, Susan Dewey, Cherrie Dubois, Bill and Paula Connolly, Peter deMello, Beatrice Endocott, James & Ellen Falway, Vanessa & Matt Flannes, Stan Flynn, Carol Gatto, Cindy Giovaniello, Beth Goodrich, Beartrice Greenwood, Gregory Greenwood, Laney Hamblett, Ken Harper, Mary Hickey, Sallie Irwin, ‘Red’ Jalbert, Sue Jilson, Nathan Jones, Rich Kerminski, Deborah Kearns, Fred Kraics, David Lapham, Art Laughton, Karen LeBlanc, Tessa LeBlanc, Joan LeMarbre, Martha Lewis, Bev Lieberman, Kate Lonergan, Amy Loudemilk, Bill Low, Chris Low, Vic Mankiewicz, Hub Mathewson, Jesse Mueller, Liz Mumford, Dauna Musick, David Nawrocki, Sue Nash, Maria Nelson, Sean Norton, B.L. Owens, Cally Outwin, Marian Painter, Robert Parker, Marta Pleiter, Jan Quaritius, Jim Quarto, Carol Quinley, Kimberly Richards, Pat and Don Ritchie, Peg Rose, Brooks Smith, John Stackhouse, Ruthie Sundberg, Lauren Stanley, Joe & Alice Sweeney, Stephen Wilkinson, Neil Fletcher Wilson, Kim Wolfe, Linda Wolfe, Raymond Wright Jr., and for: Alexandra, Allen, Anne-Marie, Clif, Cory, David, Don, Debbie, Ed & Irish, Elizabeth, Gary, Greer, Jake, Jan, Jane, Janet, Jerrie, Jess, Kate, Kathey, Kim, Kristin, Izzy, Laura, Madeleine, Margaret, Melissa, Murray, Nickie, Pat, Patti, Phyllis, Rebecca, Ruth, Sara, Siena, Sue, Ted, Terry, Tony, Winnie & Don. Please join us in praying for professionals on the front line: Jennifer Babcock, Michelle Babcock, Chris Flynn, Rebecca Graziano, Andy Huther, Bill Huther, Katie Huther, Kelcie & Kenneth Knowles, David Mason, Tom McKean, Rosa Ramirez-Mendez, Kelley Moquin, Shelley Moquin, Diane Munsell, Kimberly Schoener, Jeff Spillane, Jonathan Stackhouse, Kari Steinetz, Kelsey Rezendes, Mary Tempesta, Beatrix Walters, Brian, Shawn.

Confession and Absolution (In unison) Almighty God, Source of all that is, Giver of every good gift: You create all people in your image and call us to love one another as you love us. We confess that we have failed to honor you in the great diversity of the human family. We have desired to live in freedom, while building walls between ourselves and others. We have longed to be known and accepted for who we are, while making judgements of others based on the color of skin, or the shape of features, or the varieties of human experience. We have tried to love our neighbors individually while yet benefitting from systems that hold those same neighbors in oppression. Forgive us, Holy God. Give us eyes to see you as you are revealed in all people. Strengthen us for the work of reconciliation rooted in love. Restore us in your image, to be beloved community, united in our diversity, even as you are one with Christ and the Spirit, Holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

(In part, prayer and confession from https://episcopalchurch.org/responding-to-racist-violence) The Peace

Celebrant: The Peace of the Lord be always with you. People: And also with you.

Modified Holy Communion

Celebrant: The Spirit of God be with you. People: And also with you. Celebrant: Lift your hearts to heaven People: Where Christ in glory reigns. Celebrant: Let us give thanks to God. People: It is right to offer thanks and praise.

Gracious and Everlasting One, it is right and good, always and everywhere to give thanks to you — even the places where we are scattered right now. We give you thanks for calling forth creation and blending dust with your breath in the emergence of life. We bless you for the covenants you have made with your people, for our ancestors in the faith, and the ways that you call us into community with all people everywhere.

We praise you, for the life, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and for the way of compassion, justice, and communion he lived and taught. Therefore with saints and martyrs, apostles and prophets, with all the redeemed, joyfully we praise you and say:

Holy, holy, holy: God of mercy, giver of life; earth and sea and sky and all that lives, declare your presence and your glory. We remember, Blessed One, that when the risk of arrest and execution became clear, Jesus asked his disciples to prepare a borrowed room where they could eat together, and give thanks, and prepare. When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Until we can gather our weary bodies in this place again, until we can share among us the same food and drink, until we can breathe the same air, and look into each other’s eyes, and pass the peace of your Son Jesus among these bodies you have created as good, and perhaps sense your beloved kingdom coming near, may your Holy Spirit hover, and brood like a mother hen, over each and every table, every meal where we wait. May that tender Spirit reach into all the quiet corners of loneliness and worry, reminding us of the deeper, wider communion in which all things dwell with you. May that Spirit keep us hungry for community, for the just and compassionate world you seek; may it keep us awake and expectant, looking always for your kingdom coming near. Now together let us pray as Jesus taught us: The Lord’s Prayer (said in unison) We pray for your church, that it may rise up in the face of this crisis and embody the ministry of Jesus once again, bringing healing, bringing justice, reaching out to those who are alone. We pray for other faith communities as well, for the ways that they are responding with compassion and care, and we pray for those of no faith, who are also loved dearly by you. Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto you. Amen, and let all the people say “Amen.”

A moment of silence is observed

A General Thanksgiving (Officiant and People pray together)

God, you are our beginning and you will be our end; we are made in your image and likeness. We praise and thank you for this day. This is the day on which you created light and saw that it was good. This is the day in whose early morning light we discovered the tomb was empty, and encountered Christ, the world’s true light. This is the day you have made; we shall rejoice and be glad in it. Eternal God, grant to us this day and every day such readiness and delight in following Christ, that whether our lives are short or long we shall have lived abundantly.

Closing Hymn vs 1,4,5

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